Bridging the Water Divide: Training a New Generation of Water Technicians

Despite an optimistic outlook for professional employment in the field of water and waste water supply and treatment, industry experts report there are not enough trained workers to fill positions in the Inland Empire, a region of Southern California comprising San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Encompassing five objectives, this project is advancing water and waste water supply technical training, initiating regional coalition building, and preparing students to meet existing employer requirements for trained technicians. The objectives of this project are to: 1: Enhance and expand the Water Supply Technology (WST) curriculum to include innovative courses that align with industry standards and provide up-to-date technical education. 2: Form the Inland Empire Water Consortium by bringing together water suppliers, water agencies, and wastewater treatment facilities to offer internships and job opportunities, and assist with providing funding to prepare low-income students. 3: Expand the internship program of the college by offering at least 20 new internships. 4: Conduct outreach to increase the demographics of women and minority students employed in the water and wastewater industry. 5: Evaluate and disseminate project outcomes.